Poling of the piezoceramic material occurs when such piezo actuators are driven by an electrical signal into the large-signal range for the first time (field strengths of several kV/mm). An irreversible change in length is also produced, known as the remnant strain. Tensile stresses arise in the total stack as a result of the remnant strain and because of an additional strain that occurs when an electrical signal is applied to the electrode layers during operation of the piezo actuator. These tensile stresses cause cracks (poling cracks) to appear during the poling process or during operation of the piezo actuator, for instance along an interface between a piezoceramic layer and an electrode layer. Such cracks also arise in particular in the transition region between active sub-stack and terminating region, where the most damaging cracks are those that branch off or propagate in the longitudinal direction of the total stack. Such cracks inevitably result in premature failure of the piezo actuator.